In the following essay, Bovon explains that John's self-definition in Revelation is purposeful in terms of narrative success.

This paper will not be a historical inquiry into John's personality; nor will it be a philological analysis of the author's style.1 In line with the tradition of French literary criticism,2 I would like to observe what Philippe Lejeune calls the “autobiographical pact,” namely, the implicit agreement which an author or narrator makes with his or her readers about his or her identity.3 There exists a sort of contract governing the manner in which the reader should read the text put forth by a narrator and the commitments which the author has decided to take.4 Avoiding scholarly jargon and theoretical abstractions, I will focus on how the narrator speaks in the first person singular...